BAGOC promises Asiad grand closing

BAGOC promises Asiad grand closing

BANGKOK (JP): The Bangkok Asian Games Organizing Committee
(BAGOC) promised on Friday a grandiose display during the closing
ceremony of the 14-day event to be held at the Rajamangala
National Stadium on Sunday.

Crown Prince Maha Vajralongkorn is expected to declare the
last regional sport event of the century closed, on behalf of
King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Ake Kerdtempoom, assistant secretary for the opening and
closing ceremony sub-committee of BAGOC, told a media conference
on Friday a package of art performances would be on show during
the two hours of the ceremony which starts on 5.40 p.m. local
time.

An overture featuring four top local singers -- Charan
Manopet, Ekachai Srivichai, Jintara Poonlarb and Apaporn
Nakornsawan -- will be played right before the arrival of the
prince.

A 12-minute dance performance will be the highlight of the
festival. Combining a shadow play, gigantic puppet show and Thai
classical dances, the art exhibition is inspired by the
Mahajanaka legend.

The old tale illustrates the second life of Buddha. It is said
that Mahajanaka, or Buddha, is on his way back home when a
thunder storm sinks his boat. Mahajanaka has to swim for seven
days and nights to reach land.

"The performance reflects hard work carried out by the Thais
before, during and after the Asian Games," Ake said.

He said participating athletes would not dress in their
respective national outfits and flock in exclusive groups during
the march around the 60,000-seater stadium. Instead they will
mingle with each other.

This year's games saw 9,469 athletes and officials from 41
countries taking part in 36 sports with 377 gold medals on offer.

The tickets for the closure cost between Baht 1,000 and 5,000
(US$28.6 and $142.9).

Pongsakorn Laohavichian, director general of the Department of
Land Transport and chairman of the Vehicle and Transport System
sub-committee, called on all spectators to park their cars at the
park-and-ride lot and transfer into shuttle buses, provided by
the BAGOC, to reach the stadium.

He promised to provide more buses to transport an estimated
60,000 spectators from the stadium to the lot.

"In the opening ceremony we made mistakes by providing less
buses than needed. Smarting from the past lesson, we will try to
move spectators to the stadium in 45 minutes," he said. (yan)